The present disclosure is related to nutritional compositions comprising dietary fibers for promoting gut microbiota balance and health and methods of improving gut microbiota balance and health, which includes administering an effective amount of such composition.
It is well known that infection by pathogenic bacteria can be detrimental to health. Examples of these bacteria include Clostridium perfringens, C. difficile, Salmonella and other enteropathogens.
In the past, infection by these harmful bacteria has been allowed to proceed until it must be treated by antibiotics. The antibiotics have a good effect on harmful bacteria. However, they suffer from the problem that they also kill populations of intestinal bacteria that are not harmful and that aid digestion of food and provide other additional health benefits. These bacterial populations are often referred to as “friendly.”
Gram-positive, non-motile, often branched anaerobic bacteria (Bifidobacteria) are one of the major genera of bacteria that make up the gut microbiota, the bacteria that reside in the colon. Bifidobacteria aid in digestion, are associated with a lower incidence of allergies and also prevent some forms of tumor growth. Other health benefits of Bifidobacteria include increased defense against pathogenic bacteria, stimulation of the immune system, and health benefits relating to the production of short chain fatty acids (“SCFAs”), as well as less abdominal sensitivity.
Prebiotics are non-digestible substances that can beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth of the gut microbiota. Fructo-Oligosaccharides (“FOS”) are compounds for promoting the growth of Bifidobacteria and other beneficial gut microbiota, and have been extensively studied as prebiotics. FOS are short chain polymers of simple carbohydrates that do not behave like simple sugars in the body. FOS occur naturally in chicory, bananas, garlic, and certain other foods, and are, technically, a soluble fiber. It has been shown that FOS selectively support the proliferation of intestinal probiotics, especially the Bifidobacteria. 
Oligofructose (“OF”) is obtained from inulin, which is extracted from chicory using hot water. This yields a product with:
˜92% inulin-type fructans (molecules with β-2,1 fructosyl-fructose glycosidic bonds);
Degree of Polymerization (“DP”) ranging from 2-60 (avg of 10-12); and
˜6-10% free sugars (fructose, glucose, and sucrose).
Further processing (partial enzymatic hydrolysis or separation procedures) can yield OF products. This can also increase purity by removing free sugars. All bonds in these products are in the β-2,1 configuration.
Alternatively, FOS is produced synthetically starting with a sucrose molecule. The fungal enzyme β-fructosidase is used to add fructose units with β-2,1 linkages in a process called transfructosylation. A limited number of other linkages are also formed by this process. The DP range is usually 2-4, and all start with a glucose residue.
The term inulin-type fructans (“ITF”) refers to all linear fructans that contain β-2,1 fructosyl-fructose glycosidic bonds.
Product contains molecules with varying DP and proportion of glucose; generally described by the average DP, max DP, or range of DP.
Some ITF have a glucose as the starting unit (“GFn-type”), while others do not (“Fn-type”)
ITF are not labeled uniformly in the literature, as there is no official standard. However, they can be categorized by DP:
Long chain=≧10 DP; and
Short chain=<10 DP.
Nomenclature for ITF is inconsistent in the literature. Some consider OF and FOS synonymous and are defined as ITF with DPmax<10. Others use FOS to describe short chain ITF (DP<10) that are synthesized from sucrose and have the GFn chemical structure and enzymatically attached fructose units. OF describes short chain molecules derived from inulin hydrolysis and can have either the GFn or the Fn structure.
PREBIO1™ additive, available from Nesté SA, is a unique prebiotic blend of the soluble fibers FOS and inulin, designed to support complete colonic health, in particular, proximal and distal colon health, to help maintain colonic integrity and to promote healthy gut microbiota. Formulas containing PREBIO1™ additive can also provide nutrition support for patients with gastrointestinal (“GI”) compromise, such as chronic diarrhea/malnutrition, early enteral feeding, transition from TPN, short-bowel syndrome, chronic pancreatitis, malabsorption related to cancer treatment, HIV/AIDS, delayed gastric emptying, and cystic fibrosis.
The present disclosure satisfies the needs of the nutritional support industry by providing a composition with improved tolerance and increased prebiotic benefits compared to the PREBIO1™ additive, thereby providing a new composition that promotes gut microbiota balance and health of the individuals to which it is administered.